Shotgun cartridge



July 26, 1938.

J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J J w. EDWARDS 2,125,224

SHOTGUN CARTRIDGE led Feb. 13, 193'? Patented July 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application February 13, 1937, Serial No. 125,634

In Great Britain February 14, 1936 Claims.

This invention relates to cartridges and more particularly to shot cartridges for breech loading sporting guns.

In a cartridge according to the specification of 5 my prior United Kingdom Patent No. 389,211, a cup or shell containing shot is attached to a wad, the cup serving to retain the shot and prevent spreading thereof until it has travelled some distance from the muzzle of the gun.

The present invention has for its object to provide an improved cartridge whereby the shot shall be released to spread only after travelling a predetermined distance from a gun.

In a shot cartridge, according to the invention, the shot is contained within a cylindrical cup or shell the closed end of which is remote from the base or head of the cartridge and is formed with one or more apertures.

Preferably a thin disc fitting freely within the cup or shell is located between the apertured end thereof and shot contained therein.

Preferably also, the side wall of the cup or shell is slotted longitudinally from the rim of the latter. The cylindrical wall or part thereof of the cup or shell may be ribbed or corrugated.

Of the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 shows in part-sectional elevation a cartridge according to one form of the invention, Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 being end views of typical alternative forms of a part of the cartridge; Figure 6 shows the part of Figure 5 in sectional elevation on the line 5-6 of that ligure, whilst Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional plan view on the line 'I-T of Figure 6.

As shown in Figure 1, a cartridge has the usual outer paper or brass case I I and metal percussion cap I2 and contains the usual powder charge and wads I3 of felt, card, cork or the like. The shot indicated at I4, however, is contained within a cup or shell I5 of metal foil the closed end I6 of which is remote from the base or head of the cartridge and is formed with apertures I'I and dished as shown. A thin metal disc I8 which ts freely within the cup or shell I5 is located between the apertured end I6 of the cup or shell I5 and the shot I4 therein. As shown, the cup or shell I5 is secured within the outer case II in known manner by means of the usual cardboard wad I9 and inturned end 20 of said outer case II. It is found in practice that after leaving a gun by which the cartridge is red, the cup or shell I5 does not release the shot I4 to spread until it has travelled a considerable distance. It is also found that the extent of the opening at the end of the cup or shell has some effect in determining the distance from a gun at which the shot will be released from the cup or shell to spread, and there are shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 some typical examples of how these openings may be formed.

As shown in Figure 6, the side wall 2l of the cup or shell 22 is slotted longitudinally as indicated at 23, and is corrugated as clearly shown in Figure 7.

The cup or shell, which may be termed a "shot conoentrator, of a cartridge according to the invention need not necessarily be formed from metal but may, for example, be formed from cardboard, or wound paper, or from a combination of such material and metal. Where the cup or shell is corrugated, said corrugations need not extend completely over the outer wall thereof and may, if desired, be formed helically. Further the end of a cup or shell may be dished as shown and/ or formed with one or more annular grooves or corrugations.

Cartridges in accordance with the invention throw a great density of shot within a given area at a given distance from the gun, for example, one design of cup or concentrator will throw substantially all its shot within an area of thirty inches diameter at a distance of forty-ve yards from the gun, whilst another cup or concentrator may be such as to do the same at a distance of say fty-ve yards.

The cup or shell of a shot cartridge according to the invention may be designed to produce similar results over a greater distance than those just mentioned.

By employing shot concentrators as above described it is found that individual pellets retain their sphericity and are not subject to balling, or barrel scrubbing to the extent which occurs with standard loose shot charges, and thus increased velocity and consequent increased striking energy may be obtained.

What I claim to be new is:

l. In a shot gun cartridge, an outer casing, a cylindrical shell therein, said shell being fully open at one end and apertured at the other end, which latter end is located adjacent the mouth of the cartridge, and a disc within the shell, said disc tting freely between the apertured end of the shell and shot within the shell, said disc and apertured end of the shelll cooperating with the shell for permitting the retention of the shot Within the shell for a predetermined length of time after discharge from a gun.

2. In a shot gun cartridge having an outer casing and shot, a cylindrical shell within the casing,

said shell being fully open at one end and apertured at the other end, which other end is located adjacent the mouth of the cartridge, and a disc tting freely within the shell and located between the apertured end thereof and the shot, said shell having a side wall formed with slots extending from the open end of the shell longitudinally thereof.

3. In a shot gun cartridge having shot therein, a cylindrical shell carrying the shot therein and within the cartridge, said cylindrical shell being fully open at one end and apertured at the other end, said apertured end being located adjacent the mouth of the cartridge, and a ,disc fitting freely within the shell and located between the opposite end thereof and the shot, said cylindrical shell having a wall formed with longitudinal corrugations.

4. In a shot gun cartridge, shot therein, a cylindrical shell within the cartridge and containing the shot and being fully open at one end and apertured at the other end, said latter end of the shell being located adjacent the mouth of the cartridge, and a disc tting freely within the shell and located therein between the apertured end and the shot, said apertured end of the shell comprising a substantially star-shaped aperture.

5. In a shot gun cartridge, shot therein, a cylindrical shell in the cartridge containing the shot and being fully open at its inner end and apertured at its outer end, and a disc tting freely within the shell and located between the aperture and the shot, said apertured end of the shell being dished.

WALTER EDWARDS. 

